The xe2x80x9ccheap and cheerfulxe2x80x9d, rubber, toy or party balloon is a familiar object first introduced to the world about 100 years ago. Over the years the standard, rounded balloon has been modified usually in order to make it more attractive or saleable. Hence; different shapes and sizes, a greater range of colours, improved balloon imprinting techniques, inflation with helium and so on. The present invention introduces a new type of balloon into this context. As well as being a new type of toy balloon, the novel balloon functions as a novel entity in diverse fields. It is spherical, bouncy and has a non erratic trajectory which can be controlled by skill so that it also constitutes a new type of rubber game ball. An uninflated balloon is, in essence, very similar to a condom but the way in which the two are used is very different. Both are elastic containers which can be fluid filled. The novel balloon is a pioneering invention, and when configured in an appropriate way, it can be useful as a sex aid, a medical tool, in robotics and so on.
The novel balloon has a long, thin tubule that is integral with and projects from a position on the main body of the balloon opposite the neck. The balloon is made on a former with a projection which aligns with an axis that also passes through the neck. Stripped from the former, the tubule can project externally from the main body or internally into the main body of the balloon. (See FIGS. 3 and 4.) When a tubule projects into the body of the balloon and is of a length such that it can be held, pinched between first finger and thumb at the mouthpiece, the balloon can be inflated then sealed by tying the neck together with the end of the tubule (See FIG. 2).
The stretched tubule within the inflated and specially tied balloon pulls the neck and mouthpiece into the body of the balloon and the resultant balloon is substantially spherical with a hollow core that is open at one end.